Rotary vane pump with replaceable head unit



April 28, 1964 A. K. FINSTAD ROTARY VANE PUMP WITH REPLACEABLE HEAD UNITFiled Aug. 1 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l d m s m F K w m A I ZNVENTOK.

BY WWW Fm April 28, 1964 A. K. FINSTAD 3,130,673

ROTARY VANE PUMP WITH REPLACEABLE HEAD UNIT Filed Aug. 1, 1961 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Arthur K Finsfad INVZENTOR.

United States Patent REPLACEABLE This invention relates to pumpingdevices and more particularly to a vane type pump.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a pump havinggenerally radially extending vanes whereby during rotation of the vanesthey are thrown outwardly by centrifugal force into engagement with thewall of a pumping chamber.

It is another object of my invention to provide a vane type pumpcomposed of a plurality of parts assembled in such a manner that theparts may be disassembled and reassembled for cleaning, repair andreplacing of parts.

It is another object of the invention to provide a pump having a pumpingchamber in a removable head whereby when the pump becomes worn, it isonly necessary to remove and replace the head without disturbing theremainder of the pump.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a pump composed ofa novel combination of materials which are resistant to corrosion andoxidation, yet are economical and easily obtained.

It is yet another object of my invention to provide a vane type pumphaving a new and novel shaped pumping chamber.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a vane type pumphaving vanes of such a design that pressure in the pump acts on thevanes to force them into engagement more tightly with the walls of thepumping chamber whereby a more effective seal therebetween is provided.

It is yet another object of my invention to provide a pump which isparticularly designed to produce'high pressures, low volumes and is ofsmall size.

I It is still another object of my invention to provide a pump havingimproved sealing and bearing means therein.

' It is yet another object of my invention to provide a pump which is ofrelatively simple design, economical to manufacture, is durable in useand therefore requires a minimum of maintenance.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of my novel pump;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on theplane of line 22 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on theplane of line 3--3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on theplane of line 44 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken substantially on theplane of line 5-5 in FIGURE 4;

3,130,673 Patented Apr. 28, 1964 head are preferably composed of aconventional plastic such as polyethylene or nylon, the adapter collaris preferably composed of brass while the impellers or vanes 20 in thevane assembly are preferably composed of stainless 5 steel.

The endplate 12 comprises a solid cylindrical shaped member 22 havingthree bores 24 and three bores 26 extending therethrough parallel to theaxis thereof. The bores 24 spaced along a circular arc concentric withthe axis of the member 22, while the bores 26 are also spaced along anarc also concentric with the axis of the member 22, but having aslightly larger radius than the are for the bores 24. Each of the bores24 and 26 have a chamfered portion 28 for receiving the heads 30 of thebolts 32. A highly finished circular recess 34 is provided on the insideface of the member 22 so as to form a plain bearing for the forward endof the pump shaft 36.

The vane assembly 18 comprises a hub assembly comprising a cylindricalmember divided into four identical segments 38 by equally spaced radialslots 40 and a central bore 42 which receives the shaft 36. The segments38 are fixed to the forward end of the pump shaft 36 by any conventionalmeans such as welding. Slidably received in each of the slots 40 is arectangular pump vane 20 which completely fills its respective slot whenfully inserted therein. Each of the vanes have radially extendingnotches 44 formed in their forward or pressure faces.

The outer surface of the shaft 36 is preferably highly finished so as toform an effective bearing surface, and the rear end of the shaft isreleasably connected to a shaft extension 46. The forward end of theextension 46 has an integral radially extending circular flange 48 whichin turn has a forwardly extending central rectangular projection 50integral therewith. The projection 50 is preferably received slidablywithin a rectangular recess in the rear end of the shaft 36. This recess52 snugly and slidably receives the extension 50.

The compression head 14 comprises a cylindrical member 54 having aconcentric circular recess 56 in its forward end for completely andsnugly receiving the end plate 12. It also has formed therein aplurality of bores 58 and 60 in alignment with the bores 24 and 26 inthe member 22 for receiving the central portions of the bolts 32. Apumping chamber 62 is formed in the central portion of the compressionhead. The bottom portion of this chamber extends 180 degrees and isformed by a radius having a center concentric with the axis of thecompression head.

, The upper portion of the pumping chamber is formed by FIGURE 6 is arear end elevational view of a modified a radius slightly smaller thanthe radius forming the lower portion, The center part of the upperportion is also concentric with the axis of the compression head andextends for substantially 90 degrees. The upper side portions of thepumping chamber as shown in FIGURE 3 are also arcuate, and the center ofthis are is located so as to smoothly blend the surfaces of the upperand lower portions together. Formed in the upper portion of thecompression head are two parallel and spaced bores parallel to the axisof the head. These bores are shown at 64 and 66 and comprise portions ofthe inlet and outlet passages to the pumping chamber respectively. Asshown in FIGURE 3, the bore 64 is connected to the right side of thepumping chamber by a generally vertical bore 68 and the bore 66 isconnected to the left side of the pumping chamber by generally verticalbore 70. The upper ends of these bores are internally threaded as shownat 72 for receiving threaded plugs 74 for sealing the upper end of thebores. The rear face of the compression head 14 is recessed at 76 forreceiving an annular sealing member 78.

The adapter collar 16 has a forw ardly projecting cylindrical portion 80of the same external diameter as .the compression head 14, and thisportion 80 has a plurality of threaded bores 82 and 84 therein alignedwith the bores 58 and 60 in the compression head for receiving thethreaded ends of the bolts 32 which rigidly and releasably maintain themembers 22, 54 and 80 in assembled relationship. The adapter collar 16has a central bore 82 therein for receiving the shaft extension 46rotatably therein. The forward end of this bore 82 is enlarged as shownat 84 for receiving a bearing member 86. This bearing member may be aplain hearing, but is preferably conventional antifrietion type such asa ball hearing or roller hearing.

The adapter collar has two space-d lugs 88 and 90 extending upwardly onits rear end on each side, and having parallel bores 92 and 94 extendingvertically therein. These bores 92 and 94 are preferably internallythreaded for receiving the threaded end of a pressure pipe, not shown,which is connected thereto in a conventional manner. The rear verticallyextending face of the adapter collar is flat and adapted to be mountedagainst a flat supporting surface. Three radially projecting ears 96, 98and 100 are formed integrally with the back end of the adapter collarand have axial bores therein for receiving mounting bolts. Two axiallyextending bores 102 and 104 extend rearwardly from the forward face 106of the adapter collar to and slightly beyond the vertical bores 92 and94. These bores 102 and 104 are parallel, extend horizontally and theirrear ends are connected by a transverse passage 108. The passage 108 hasits right end connected to an enlarged bore 110 which extends to theouter surface of the lug 90. The inner end of the bore 110 is shapedlike a truncated cone so as to form a valve seat for the ball valvemember 112. A plug 114 is threaded into the outer end of the bore 112and compresses a coil spring 116 against the ball valve 112 for seatingit against its valve seat.

In operation, the pump assembly, the end plate and the compression headare all held rigidly together in a conventional manner by the bolts 32which are threaded into the bores 82 and 84 in the adapter collar. Thecollar 48 on shaft extension 46 and the bearing assembly 86 fit withinthe recess 84, and the forward end of the bearing assembly compressesthe annular seal member 78 within the recess 76. A second annular sealmember 1 18 surrounds the shaft extension 46 and fits within an annularrecess 120 in the adapter collar 16. The sides of the recess 120converge slightly in a radially outward direction as viewed in FIGURE 2,and forms an angle of approximately ten degrees therebetween.

During operation of the pump, fiuid enters the adapter collar 16 bymeans of :an inlet pipe connected at 94. The fiuid then flows forwardlythrough inlet passages 104 and 64, and then downwardly through verticalpassage 68 into the upper portion of the pump chamber 62. As shown inFIGURE 3, the pump hub sectors 40 and the vanes 20 are rotatedclockwise. Thus, the vanes as they rotate are thrown out by centrifugalforce tightly into engagement with the inner surfaces of the pumpingchamber. The vanes thus extend into the fluid entering through passage68 and carry it through the bottom portion of the pumping chamber intothe passage 70. The fluid flowing upwardly through passage 70 then flowshorizontally through outlet passages 66 and 102 into upwardly extendingpassage 92 where it is exhausted from the pump by means of a pipeconnected to the threaded connection at 92. If the pressure in the pumpshould surpass a predetermined level, it will cause the valve member 112to be unseated against its closing spring 116 whereby the pressure maybe relieved through passages 108 and 110 whereby the fluid may escapeback into the inlet duct 94.

During operation of the pump, fluid pressure on the pressure side of thevanes 20 is conducted by means of notches 44 to the inner facm 45whereby pressure acting thereon forces the vanes radially outwardly andtightly into sealing engagement with the surfaces of the pumpingchamber. Although centrifugal force normally maintains the vanes insealing engagement with the walls of the pumping chamber, during lowspeed operation of the pump, it is particularly desirable to haveadditional sealing pressure exerted between the vanes and the pumpchamber walls. This sealing pressure is provided by the pressure actingon the surfaces 45.

The upper wall 63 of the pumping chamber 62 is concentric with the axisof and has the same diameter as the vane assembly hub. The wall 63extends for at least between the ports 68 and 70 thus insuring that onevane will always be engaging it. By having a vane always in engagementwith wall 63, leakage between the ports 68 and 70 is substantiallyreduced or eliminated.

If desired, the plug 74 may be removed or omitted from the passages 70and 68 whereby the passage 68 may serve as an additional inlet passage,and the passage 70 may serve as an additional or auxiliary outletpassage. By using the passages 68 and 94 as inlet passages, two separatefluids may be drawn into the pump and thoroughly mixed thereby andexhausted from the pump by means of the passages 70 and 92 jointly orseparately.

In the modified form shown in FIGURES 6 and 8, the bolts 32 and theholes in the various parts to receive these bolts are omitted, and thecompression head 14' is connected to the adapter collar 16 by means of aflexible C-cl-amp which is generally U-shaped in cross section. Themembers 14' and 16' have adjacent annular flanges 132 and 134 of thesame diameter. The inner abutting surfaces of these flanges are radiallyextending while the outer surfaces of the flanges converge in a radiallyoutward direction as does the inner side surfaces of the 6- clamp 130.The Ccl amp 130 has inwardly parallel and radially outwardly extendingflanges 136 secured to its ends which are slightly spaced from oneanother. These flanges have aligned bores therein which receive athreaded fastening assembly 138 which is adjustable for forcing theflanges 136 together and thereby reducing the diameter of the 'C-elamp130. As the C-clamp 130 is contracted by the fastening means 138, thesloping side walls 140 and 142 thereof cam the abutting faces of theflanges 132 and 134 into tight engagement with each other. The end plate12' is spin welded at 144 to the outer edge of the compression head 14'.

In the form shown in FIGURES 6 (and 8, it is only necessary todisconnect the c-clamp when the pump becomes worn so as to remove thecompression head 14. When the C-clarnp is removed, the compression headis no longer connected to the adapter collar 16' and the shaft 36 slidesoff of the slidable connection with the shaft 46. A new head and pumpingassembly may be replaced merely by inserting the shaft 36' of the newassembly in the adapter collar 16' and replacing the C-clamp in anobvious manner.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A pump assembly comprising as readily separable components a pumpunit including an impeller assembly therein together with an end plateand an adapter collar secured to opposite ends of said pump unit, saidpump unit comprising a hollow body with an opening at one end closed bysaid end plate and an end wall at its other end, said body having achamber in its open end and a bore through said end wall communicatingwith said chamber, said impeller assembly including an impeller shaftjournaled in said wall bore and having one end extending through saidend wall to the exterior of said body and having its other end journaledin a circular recess in said end plate, an impeller hub and vanesmounted on said impeller shaft in said chamber, said chamber having adiametrical enlargement at said chamber open end, said end plate beingreceived entirely within said enlargement, said adapter collar having abore alined with said body bore and terminating in a diametricallyenlarged recess, said impeller shaft extending end projecting into saidrecess, said adapter collar having mounting means on one end forattaching it to a support and having a planar face on its other endengaged by said body end wall, an impeller drive shaft journaled in saidcollar bore and having one end terminating Within said recess and beingprovided with a laterally projecting flange seated in said recess, saidimpeller shaft and said drive shaft having an axially engageable anddisengageable coupling for their adjacent ends within said recess, abearing sleeve in said recess journaling said adjacent ends, fluidintake and fluid exhaust means each communicating with said chamber andeach comprising registering passages in said body and collar, aquick-detachable fastening means releasably securing said pump unit tosaid adapter collar and facilitating removal and replacement of a pumpunit in said pump assembly.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said impeller hub comprisesarcuate segments fixedly secured to and projecting radially from saidimpeller shaft and having circumferentially spaced radial slotstherebetween, said vanes being each slidably received for radialmovement in one of said slots.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein each vane has a radially extendingchannel on its leading face admitting pressure from said chamber beneathsaid vane and thereby yieldingly urging the vane radially outwardly ofsaid hub into sealing engagement with the wall of said chamber.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said adapter collar has a pair ofhollow bosses opening to its exterior for connection to a source offluid supply and to a destination for exhaust fluid, said fluid intakeand exhaust passages in said adapter collar extending axially thereofand each having one end communicating with one of said bosses, theregistering fluid inlet and exhaust passages in said body extendingaxially thereof and terminating in angularly disposed passagescommunicating with said chamber at opposite sides thereof.

5. The combination of claim 4 including a transverse bore in saidadapter collar constituting a by-pass connection between said adaptercollar intake and exhaust passages, a non-return pressure relief checkvalve in said transverse bore effecting relief of fluid under excessivepressure from the fluid exhaust passage into the fluid inlet passage.

6. The combination of claim 4 including auxiliary ports in said adaptercollar establishing communication respectively with said adapter collarfluid inlet and exhaust passages and constitutes means introducingadditional fluids for mixing thereinto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS722,185 Robinson Mar. 3, 1903 1,722,616 Williams July 30, 1929 1,855,708Dilg Apr. 26, 1932 1,971,601 Dilg Aug. 28, 1934 2,082,265 Smith June 1,1937 2,096,870 Vollenbroich Oct. 26, 1937 2,525,619 Roth et al. Oct. 10,1950 2,611,323 Digney Sept. 23, 1952 2,619,040 Maisch Nov. 25, 19522,695,131 Price Nov. 23, 1954 2,731,919 Prendergast Ian. 24, 19562,818,024 Herschel Dec. 31, 1957 2,966,860 Maynard Jan. 3, 19612,986,095 Namur May 30, 1961 3,034,446 Brundage May 15, 1962 3,038,413Emeny et al June 12, 1962 3,050,010 Thrap et a1 Aug. 21, 1962 FOREIGNPATENTS 714,442 France Sept. 7, 1931 602,874 Germany Sept. 19, 1934548,998 Great Britain Nov. 2, 1942

1. A PUMP ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AS READILY SEPARABLE COMPONENTS A PUMPUNIT INCLUDING AN IMPELLER ASSEMBLY THEREIN TOGETHER WITH AN END PLATEAND AN ADAPTER COLLAR SECURED TO OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID PUMP UNIT, SAIDPUMP UNIT COMPRISING A HOLLOW BODY WITH AN OPENING AT ONE END CLOSED BYSAID END PLATE AND AN END WALL AT ITS OTHER END, SAID BODY HAVING ACHAMBER IN ITS OPEN END AND A BORE THROUGH SAID END WALL COMMUNICATINGWITH SAID CHAMBER, SAID IMPELLER ASSEMBLY INCLUDING AN IMPELLER SHAFTJOURNALED IN SAID WALL BORE AND HAVING ONE END EXTENDING THROUGH SAIDEND WALL TO THE EXTERIOR OF SAID BODY AND HAVING ITS OTHER END JOURNALEDIN A CIRCULAR RECESS IN SAID END PLATE, AN IMPELLER HUB AND VANESMOUNTED ON SAID IMPELLER SHAFT IN SAID CHAMBER, SAID CHAMBER HAVING ADIAMETRICAL ENLARGEMENT AT SAID CHAMBER OPEN END, SAID END PLATE BEINGRECEIVED ENTIRELY WITHIN SAID ENLARGEMENT, SAID ADAPTER COLLAR HAVING ABORE ALINED WITH SAID BODY BORE AND TERMINATING IN A DIAMETRICALLYENLARGED RECESS, SAID IMPELLER SHAFT EXTENDING END PROJECTING INTO SAIDRECESS, SAID ADAPTER COLLAR HAVING MOUNTING MEANS ON ONE END FORATTACHING IT TO A SUPPORT AND HAVING A PLANAR FACE ON ITS OTHER ENDENGAGED BY SAID BODY END WALL, AN IMPELLER DRIVE SHAFT JOURNALED IN SAIDCOLLAR BORE AND HAVING ONE END TERMINATING WITHIN SAID RECESS AND BEINGPROVIDED WITH A LATERALLY PROJECTING FLANGE SEATED IN SAID RECESS, SAIDIMPELLER SHAFT AND SAID DRIVE SHAFT HAVING AN AXIALLY ENGAGEABLE ANDDISENGAGEABLE COUPLING FOR THEIR ADJACENT ENDS WITHIN SAID RECESS, ABEARING SLEEVE IN SAID RECESS JOURNALING SAID ADJACENT ENDS, FLUIDINTAKE AND FLUID EXHAUST MEANS EACH COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER ANDEACH COMPRISING REGISTERING PASSAGES IN SAID BODY AND COLLAR, AQUICK-DETACHABLE FASTENING MEANS RELEASABLY SECURING SAID PUMP UNIT TOSAID ADAPTER COLLAR AND FACILITATING REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF A PUMPUNIT IN SAID PUMP ASSEMBLY.